This invention relates to rugged, yet lightweight, outdoor furniture that is continuously adjustable to accommodate varying terrain.
Spectators of various outdoor events, such as golf, baseball, soccer, fireworks displays and parades, for example, typically use lawn furniture for seating during the event. Seating is commonly placed on nearby grass areas that may or may not be flat. A broad range of portable, folding and compact outdoor furniture is available in today""s market but their designs are optimized for level or horizontal surfaces. The chairs are not the problem. Rather it is the way the various portable chairs are used on sloping ground.
Depending on the angle of the ground or slope, the seat of most chairs remains roughly parallel (actually around 6?? relative to the ground upon which it is situated. As the slope of the ground increases, the angle of an individual""s seated position relative to horizontal decreases. As the seating angle decreases (to below 0xc2x0), the seated individual""s constant attempt to brace himself to keep from sliding out of the chair or to keep the chair from toppling does not create a situation of relaxed comfort, the goal of sitting in a chair in the first place. At some point of discomfort, individuals with nothing more than a fixed-leg lawn chair will elect to sit on the ground or try to find flatter ground for their chairs rather than fight the slope.
Unfortunately, flatter ground simply may not be available or may offer an inferior viewing perspective of the event being observed.
In order to compensate for various slopes, the legs of a chair must be easily and continuously adjustable to adapt to a wide degree of slopes in order to maintain a somewhat normal and comfortable seating angle. In addition, since a portable chair may be subject to rules and restrictions at certain spectator events, a chair""s capacity to adapt to sloping terrain seating may be subject to certain physical limitations. For example, the rules covering portable seating at the Memorial Golf Tournament held at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio prohibit, among other things, chairs with arms and chairs over a certain height.
Several attempts to solve this seating problem have resulted in patents being granted patents for adjustable portable chairs. However, as will be evident from the discourse below, each of these attempts have shortcomings, which prevent them from fully achieving a solution to the slope problem.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,068, issued to Glecker et al., discloses a portable fishing chair intended for use on sloping terrain by fishermen and campers. Glecker et al.""s chair employs and adjustable extension, which is limited to three fixed positions, which accommodates only three different degrees of slope. The chair is not easily adjustable from the multiple, fixed seating positions and appears relatively complicated. In addition, the chair has arms, which would prevent it from being used at certain events.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,333, issued to Wilson, discloses a chair, which provides either three or four individually adjustable legs such that the chair can be used on a variety of terrain. Like Glecker et al. the number of positions is fixed and thus cannot conform continuously to a wide degree of slopes. The legs do not appear to be easily adjustable by a user in a seated position. Like the Glecker chair, the Wilson chair has arms and thus would not conform to events where armed chairs are not permitted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,642, issued to Herzog, discloses a folding stool, with individually adjustable legs, that is adaptable for use on various sloped terrains. However, like the other chairs in the cited art, the legs are not adjustable from a seated position and adjustment is limited to a fixed number of angles based upon predetermined, fixed hole spacings. While Herzog has no arms, its ability of increasing the height of the stool for better viewing over crowds would violate chair policies for events, which regulate the maximum allowable seat height for portable seating.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,148, issued to Shank, discloses a folding outdoor chair having four, independently adjustable legs. However, like the other chairs in the cited art, the legs do not appear to be easily adjustable from a seated position and would require multiple settings of the various legs.
What is needed is a sturdy, durable and portable lawn chair that has a comfortable seat and which can be easily adjustable to varying terrain from a seated position.
The present invention provides:
A chair for maintaining a normal seated position on flat, horizontal ground continuously up to twenty degree grades or slopes by utilizing a quick and sturdy rear leg leveling adjustment;
A portable chair that has a comfortable and flexible seat;
A chair that is easily adjustable from a seated position;
Solid construction, high quality materials, lightweight and portable;
A portable chair that folds flat for storage and easy portage;
A portable chair designed within specified limitations on chair seat height and width and chair back height for select events prohibiting certain chairs, i.e., lawn chairs, solid chairs and chairs with arms;
A portable chair that can be used on flat ground in addition to sloped terrain; and
A portable chair with suitability for commercial and rental applications with sleek look, durability, function and design.
Another feature of one aspect of the invention is to provide a folding chair having adjustable legs for use on flat, even ground and in addition, on sloping terrain from about zero degrees to twenty degrees continuously comprising front leg assembly having two leg members with a first, upper fixed horizontal cross support to support a portion of a seating material. A lower fixed horizontal cross brace is located near the bottom of the leg members, and a back support assembly is pivotally attached to the upper rear leg assembly. The back support assembly is comprised of: two parallel sides pivotally attached at one end to the outer sides of the front leg assembly; a horizontal back support member connected between the upper extents of said two parallel sides and providing a user with back support when unfolded; and a lower horizontal stop member located near the lower extents of said parallel sides providing for a predetermined angle of said back support when unfolded. Also included is an upper rear leg assembly consisting of two leg members attached near their upper extents by a second, fixed horizontal cross support to support a portion of said seating material, a horizontal cross brace fixed near the bottom of the legs. C-type structural channel are provided and fixed to the rear facing surface of each upper rear leg to slidably receive at least one channel slide member. A lower rear leg assembly is also provided and consists of: two lower leg members, each containing two channel slide members, one of which is slidably fixed within the upper portion of each of said channels and the other being attached to a screw-type knob, providing for positioning adjustment of said lower leg members with respect to said upper rear leg members and having two horizontal cross braces, one fixed between and near the tops of the leg members and the other near the bottom of the leg members. This aspect of the invention also includes a seat consisting of a seating material suspended between the first and second upper fixed horizontal cross supports. The seating material is comprised of a flexible material, which can be either natural or man-made.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with the regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings.